Chapter 5: The People Management Remix Flashcards
MICHAEL ABRAMS was asked to consult with a large company because several veterans had left the organization after only a few months on the job, and the company was concerned it wasn’t serving the needs of the veteran population.
The teams with high veteran turnover had nothing to do with the fact that the team members were veterans and everything to do with the generally poor people __________ of the leaders of those teams.”
management skills
If you find yourself asking why your managers are struggling to manage Millennials or Gen Zs—or any specific generation or group, for that matter—it is worth asking if those managers are struggling to manage people ______. Other generations of employees might also be unhappy, but Millennials and Gen Zs just might be the only ones speaking up. (Thank you, “entitlement”!)
in general
one of the most constructive changes younger generations have brought to the workplace:
speaking up
The people management remix requires an acknowledgment that many people managers never learned the “______” to begin with. In this chapter we will talk about some new tools available to managers, but much of what we’ll discuss is about going back to basics.
classics
Managers Matter More Than Ever
In 2008, Google’s People Operations team (their term for human resources) launched Project ______, in which the company studied 10,000 people to determine whether managers made a difference in team performance.
Oxygen
Managers Matter More Than Ever:
Google defined manager quality based on two key measures: manager performance ratings and ________ on managers from Google’s annual survey of employees.
feedback
Managers Matter More Than Ever
The data definitively revealed that managers did matter: the highest-scoring managers saw less turnover on their teams, and _______ correlated more strongly to manager quality than to seniority, performance, tenure, or promotions.
retention
Managers Matter More Than Ever
The study also showed a connection between manager quality and worker ______: employees with high-scoring bosses consistently reported greater satisfaction in areas such as innovation, work/life integration, and career development.
happiness
Managers Matter More Than Ever
What exactly defined a high-scoring boss at Google? The number one quality their research determined in 2008 and again when they revisited the research in 2018 is that the manager is “_______.”
“a good coach”
Managers Matter More Than Ever
Google defined being a good coach as taking such actions as providing ______ and specific feedback, holding regular one-on-one meetings, listening, meeting individual communication needs, and being aware of your own mindset and that of your employee.
timely
Managers Matter More Than Ever
If the same, “classic” strategies have been available forever, why haven’t all generations of managers been great?
Because they didn’t have to be.
Managers Matter More Than Ever
Many of these leaders, in order to maintain their positions, are being required to take management training programs or ___________ that, frankly, they should have had long ago.
executive coaching
Managers Matter More Than Ever
As the workplace becomes more heavily dominated by the Millennial generation, there will be even more attention on ______.
managers
Managers Matter More Than Ever
If manager training and effectiveness are weaknesses in your organization, ___ is the time to address them.
now
Managers Matter More Than Ever:
For starters, take a look at whether your own _______ may be getting in the way of effectively managing yourself and your team.
age bias
Where to Start: Lead Yourself First
As a leader, you have to look at your own attitudes about age and aging, because everyone is biased. What language do you use about yourself and others? Do you use “still” when it comes to ordinary activities, like “still driving” or “still working,” for example, or say things like, “I don’t feel old,” when what you actually mean is that you don’t feel invisible or incompetent? Do you make self-deprecating jokes, or blame things on age when age actually has nothing to do with it? If so, try to break the habit.
Ashton Applewhite advises
Where to Start: Lead Yourself First
There is no need for blaming or guilt; just start to notice your ______. The goal of reflecting on your own beliefs and biases is to build awareness and acknowledge what expectations you have that may be different from those of your employees.
habits
Where to Start: Lead Yourself First
Applying Remixer Rule #8: It’s okay if everybody wins, this executive decided to request that employees check in with him at least three times a day on their remote work days:
This allowed for the employees to work from home and the boss to feel like he was still managing his employees properly.
Where to Start: Lead Yourself First
The more ______ you communicate your style and expectations, the more your employees can meet them.
clearly
Where to Start: Lead Yourself First
I can’t help but imagine that, in the not-too-distant future, choosing to work for a particular ____ will involve a process not unlike shopping on Amazon. What if, before interviewing with a particular manager, a candidate could read reviews and advice written by other people who have worked for that manager and about how to meet their expectations?
boss
How to Manage Someone Older Than You
How does people management change if you are one of the many leaders today who is managing one or more employees who are older—sometimes significantly older—than you?
The answer is that my recommended management strategies _________, but their implementation becomes even more imperative.
don’t change at all
How to Manage Someone Older Than You:
The primary piece of advice I find myself giving to younger managers of older employees is ________ that the older person minds the age difference.
not to assume
How to Manage Someone Older Than You
On the other hand, if an employee you oversee does comment about your younger age or appears uncomfortable or even resentful, there are some steps you can take.
1) The first is to: spend some time getting to know the older employee.
2) try to focus on end results and be flexible about how people accomplish their work.
3)
3) Be willing to have a direct conversation about your age difference if necessary.
How to Manage Someone Older Than You
The first is to spend some time getting to know the older employee. Ask questions about the person’s experience, opinions, expertise, and interests. Listen. A lot. When you give others time and respect, they are more likely to ______.
reciprocate
How to Manage Someone Older Than You
Next, try to focus on the ______ and be flexible about how people accomplish their work. You might find that older employees (or any employees, for that matter) have ways of working that are different from yours, and that is okay.
end result
How to Manage Someone Older Than You
Finally, be willing to have a direct conversation about your age difference if necessary. While you may never be beloved by this employee, you can ask explicitly for the person’s respect. Be open, ______, and communicative, and you just might find that the younger boss–older employee dynamic is a refreshing and positive remix.
flexible
Goodbye, Annual Review; Hello, Daily Feedback
Many companies, perhaps most famously GE, would rank employees and ______ the bottom 10 percent in a system derisively referred to as “rank and yank.”
jettison
Goodbye, Annual Review; Hello, Daily Feedback:
The entire process of annual reviews tends to feel __________ at best, pointless at worst. It is also the case that many organizations provide little or no guidance to managers on how to conduct a performance review, so individual experiences can vary tremendously.
backwards looking
Goodbye, Annual Review; Hello, Daily Feedback:
What’s a modern, multigenerational organization to do? Many have decided to ______ or fully replace annual reviews with more frequent, ongoing feedback, believing—and I strongly agree with this belief—that it is more valuable to employees, managers, customers, and organizations to offer instant feedback right when it matters and can lead to better outcomes.
supplement
Goodbye, Annual Review; Hello, Daily Feedback:
Desire for more feedback in general is a __________ issue. According to a PwC study, 72 percent of employees under 30 said they want feedback on a daily or weekly basis.
cross-generational
Goodbye, Annual Review; Hello, Daily Feedback
Many Gen X employees in particular tell me that they don’t feel as _____ for feedback as their older and younger colleagues. As we discussed in chapter 1, many Xers prefer to be more independent.
eager
Goodbye, Annual Review; Hello, Daily Feedback: EXAMPLES
A) ONE-MINUTE MANAGEMENT.
B) EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS.
C) ONE-ON-ONE CHECK-INS.
D) STAY CONVERSATIONS.
E)
F) MBWA
E) FEEDBACK APPS
